George haepee steadman



(ModeL) G. H. STEADMAN.

SEAL LOCK. No. 334,302. Patented Jan. 12, 1886.

WITNESSES: G TNVENTSE: dfidm 26 Jim ATTORNEYS.

N. PETERS, Phumum m m. Washington. D. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT @rrrcn.

GEORGE HARPER STEADMAN, OF HOPEWELL CAPE, NEW BRUNSWICK,

CANADA.

SEAL-LOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.33%,302, dated January 12, 1886.

Application filed October 28, 1882. Serial No. 75,408. (Model To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE HQSTEADMAN, of Hopewell Cape, Albert county, New Brunswick, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Seal-Locks, of which the following is a description.

This invention relates to that class of seallocks which are sealed by a card inserted in the lock at the time of closing it; and its object is to clasp around the mouth of a longitudinally-folded mail-bag, to hold the same closed until the seal is broken.

To this end myinvention consists of the seallock hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in Which- Figure 1 is a side elevation, and Fig. 2 is a front elevation, of a mail-bag, showing my seal-lock attached thereto. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the look before the lap end is closed. Fig. 4 is a plan view similar to Fig. 3, but with the lap closed upon a link. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal vertical section at w x, and Fig. 6 is a transverse vertical section at 3 y, of the lock closed.

A represents the body of the lock, consisting of a metallic box having a lap, A, which is folded back upon the body after the link B is placed in the bend, thus securing the link by a hinge-joint and sufficiently inclosing the loose internal parts of the lock to hold them.

in. This portion of the lock is bodily riveted to the mail-bag at one side of the month thereof, and is connected with the hasp O by the link B, a label-plate, D, and links E. These partswhen in use form a rectangular clamp around the folded end of the mail-bag, the hasp O resting flat upon the body A, which it partly incloses by means of side pieces, 0. These side pieces are internally longitudinally grooved to receive wings F of the bolt F, which project out from the sides of the box A,whereby the hasp is locked to the said box.

In operation the bag is first folded. The clasp is then carried around it and placed with its hinge-lug G in a recess, H, serving as a fulcrum upon which the hasp, used as a lever, may pry upon the link E, to clamp tightly upon the bag in the act of closing the hasp down upon the body A. The recess H is a pit of nearly a quarter of a cylinder in the body A, and the lug G is nearly three-quarters of a cylinder, projecting from the hasp, whereby nearly three-quarters of a circle of prying motion may be given to the hasp. When the hasp is pressed nearly down upon the body, the sealingcard I is to be inserted between the two. Then the hasp is closed tightly upon the card, pressing it down over a spur, J, which projects from the body Aup through the card and prevents its removal the lock, and at its other end, K it has fishtail-shaped flukes.

L is an extension of the bolt, in the form of astirrup,loosely hinged thereto, and provided with internal projections L, adapted to engage the flukes K as the bolt slides to and fro. Both the projections L and the flukes K are wedge-shaped on their upper and lower faces, so that as the bolt is pushed inward the projections L rise behind and pass over the wedge shapes of the flukes, and in going forward the said projections wedge in front of the flukes, forcing them backward and prying the block K out beyond the face of the lock. When a card is inserted, as before described, the block K is held thereby from projecting, so that the bolt is held in the grooves in the hasp,whereby the device is locked and sealed.

M M are springs acting constantly against the stirrup to project the bolt. By withdrawing the card the block K is free to project. Then the springs Mwill force the bolt forward out of engagement with the hasp, leaving the latter unlocked.

In withdrawing the card it is torn, so that mere casual observation would detect it, so that the possession of properly-marked cards is necessary to seal the look beyond detection.

The lug G, inserted in the recess H, prevents the hasp from being drawn endwise off from the bolt F and the body A. The latch K is pivoted only by being very loosely mounted on the stud a, so that it may rock on its rounded back.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination of the body A, provided with the spur J and recess H, the hasp 0, pro,- vided with sides to receive the said body, and grooved in theinnerfaces of thesaid sides, and provided with a lug, G, fitted to engage the recess H, and a bolt, F, fitted to slide in the body A, and provided with projections F, shaped to project through the sides of the body to engage the slots inthe sides of the hasp, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. he combination of the lock-body A, the hasp O, a series of links, substantially as described, connecting the said body and hasp, the body being provided with a recess, H, and the hasp being provided with a lug, G, shaped to engage the said recess, and means for se curing the free end of the hasp, substantially as shown and described.

wedge-shaped flukes K, and pivoted upon the stud a, and the stirrup L, loosely hinged to the bolt and provided with wedge-shaped inward projections L, substantially as shown and described.

4. The combination of the bolt F, the stirrup L, loosely hinged thereto and provided with wedge-shaped projections L, the body A, provided with the stud a, and the latch K, provided with the block K, fitted to play through the body and provided with the wedge-shaped flukes K, substantially as shown and described, whereby the bolt will be retained until the said block K is permitted to project from the body, as and for the purpose specified.

GEORGE HARPER STEADMAN Witnesses:

J AMES STANLEY, JOHN EDMUND DELANY. 

